Clamping unit for surface gauges or the like



Dec. 14, 1948. J.- E. HASTINGS 2,456,505

CLAMPING UNIT FOR SURFACE GAUGES OR THE LIKE Filed Jan. 5, 1946 17:29.1 ea:v

Patented Dec. 14, 1948 CLAIVIPIN'GTJ'NIT FOR SURFACE GAUGES Old-"THE LIKE Jamie; Hastings; Athol, Mass, assignmr to The L. S.- Starmett Gompany, l Athoh, MfiSSL, acornsrationof Massachusetts Aliplication January 5, 1946,; SeriafNo. 63924 80 My present, invention". relates to" clampingde- Vices and more particularly to clamping: devices or-snugs adapted forms: on surface gages; and other precision; tools: andv accessories;

The type; of clamp usually employed for purpose comprises, substantially: a. Lk-shaped-body having passages arranged therethroughz at right angles to enable the: device he beisupportediom a standard or: spindle and to. support a' tool-r other instrumentality. Such a clamp, while: in the main; satisfactory, does not always remain in adjusted position: on. the. standard. on spindle, of a surface gage-or the like, nor does it hold: the-tool or other instrmnentali-ty in; fixed; adjusted position, without the exertion-of considerable clamping force.

In my present invention; prior: defectshave been obviated, and I have devised a. structure easily adjusted and readjusted: on the standardror spindle of asurface gage or the like, andqinwhich 1 but a single clamping screw is employed! bothrto hold the device onthe standard or spindle ofthe surface gage, and. to holdthe tool to beusedi on the clamp-itselfi An object of my invention therefore, is an improved clamping device or snngj Another object of. my inventicn is an improved clamping device or: snug having a; plurality of clamping: elements; operated by a single clamping screw.

Aiurther object is an improved clamping device or snug having: aplurality of clamping elements mounted on a. single.- clampingsscrew and rotatable thereon to adjust the. clamping elements relative to each other In the accompanying; drawings wherein. I? have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention:

Figure l is aside elevation ofa surliace gage: of conventional type showing my improved? snug applied to the: standard. or spindle thereon and showing such snug holding; a; scriber;

Eigure 2. is a view similar-to l ig; 1 but showing a; conventional dial. indicator: andlits mounting supported on the standard orspindle of th-egsurface gageby my snug.

Figure 3' is: a side elevation ofi my; snu in clamped position,

Figure 4 is a.) horizontal sectionon: the line 4+4 of Fig. 3;

Figure 5 i'san exploded view of my ""sn=ug', and

figures 6L is a. cross. section on the line 6 -6 of figured.

Referring to the: drawings, and particularly to Figs; 33 4', and 5", there: shewnwat clamping" bolt 6 Glad-ms. (Cl. 248-1249.-

r 2'. comprising a body H having" at one; end'amemlarge-:1 heads i2 at the other'iend a; screwthreadect stein t3; Extending: diametrically througlrthehody H isan cvali opening: Moflarsize to slip easily'ontor a standard; or either: support, as the standard or spindle; k510i 3; suriacagage, designat'edxgeneral ly the reference character l6 iniliigsi. 11 and The; clamping. bolt. M: extends axiall into; and through; as: a slidahle and. rotatabletfit; a cylindricalimember L1,. the rear endiofsuch mem? bar is bored out to DITQ'Midfilfl. cylindrical; cavitwl il-a housed the; head. t2 of: thetzc'lamping bolts. The-member: li'lahas'drilled therein atileast tvw pairs ofi diametrically apposite; holes; t8; and till Holes,v I28: andrid arearrangedrati angles to each; other; and one'pairoi saidhcl'es; as? t8, maybersofra sizezt'dreceite as a; slidable and: tatablefit: a1 scribes 2B9. (see- Fig. 1 white-the other: pain i9may7be or; a size toireoeivesiin: like manner theemolmtinghar 2|" of axdiah indicator 22 (see Fig; scriher: and mounting ban 2i: of: chat iridicaton'l tare merely-indicative maybe: placed in.- thes pai-rsaof hGlESi t8 and; I9

The outer,; oi: right handtendofithe cylindrical memberlflwis reduced, in diameteras: indirratedsat 23,; such porticncfi reduced diametenemcnding to; the let-t, as viewed-in. Figs; 3; 43., and 5,6110 the center :czlzutherpairsi ofi" holesxt8: andls gwOn such; portion 2% of reduceddiameteris isliclalih mcuntedvai sleeve: 24 oil aniroutsi'de'diameterequal to the outside diametencii theicylindricalmanber I! and 10f a, width: slightly less than the width of. the portion. 23 ct re'dnceddiameter; The; left hand ledge: cfv the sleeve. 2:4 is. prowide'diwitla-pairs of diametrically arrangedcscm-i -circular grooves 25-- and; 26; whichv coactz with: the": semi-circular grooves leftlby the hcleaa I18? and Hi in the outer part of the cylindrical member": Mi when such member-had 'its right: hand end reduced in diam- B13811" -M'ovement to: the-left, as' viewed fangs. 3 and 4?, c1? thezsleeve 24;, results in the-grooves Z5 m ofthe said sleeve cl ampingfthe devices that may-have been insertedin' one or the other of ci holes W and I8 ber 3|, is a washer 33.

a wide variety of gages,-indicators,

ing bolt and movable axiall relative thereto is-a cylindrical member 3| of substantially the same diameter as sleeves 24 and 29. Member 3| is provided with semi-circular grooves 32 which are the complement of the grooves 3|] in sleeve 29 and define therewith and with the hole l4 through said bolt a passage to receive the standard I of the surface gage |6 shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Slidable on the threaded portion |3 of the clampingscrew and with its left face abutting against the adjacent end of the cylindrical mem- Washer 33 has a'cylindrical depression 34 formed on its right face of a diameter" and depth sufficient to receive and house a spring washer 35'.

' screwing onto the threaded portion |3 of the clamping screw is a knurled thumb nut 3-6, which acts to clamp the structure onto thestandard I5 of the surface gage" l6 and to clamp a scriber or a dial indicator mounting bar 2| in fixed relation to the standard l5.

.In using my improved clamping device, the thumb nut 36 is backed oil along the threaded portion 3 of the clamping bolt. This provides space for the separation of the various members mounted thereon and permits the aligned grooves and 32 and the oval opening M to have the standard l5 of a tool, such as a surface gage, inserted through the oval opening l4, and with the alignedgrooves in registry with the standard. The backing off of the thumb screw '36 also al.-

lows the element 24 to move away slightly from the end of the member l4 and readily permits the insertion of a scriber 20 (see Fig. 1) in the holes l8, or the mounting bar 2| (see Fig.2) of a' dial indicator 22 to beinserted in the holes |9. By screwing the thumb nut 36 up along the threaded :portion I3 of the clamping bolt, the various elements mounted on the clamping bolt will be clamped closely together, the members 29 and 3| firmly gripping the standard I 5 at a desired height therealong, and the members 24 and I1 firmly gripping the scriber 30 or the mounting bar 2|,

gas the case may be, at the desired length therealong. I Members 24 and H, however may be rotated as a unit relative to the other parts to permit the scriber, or dial indicator, to be adjusted through various angular positions with respect to the standard l5.

. Very little force is required to firmly clamp the "snug onto the standard l5, or vthe'scriber 2|l= -or mounting bar 2| against accidental displacement. A slight backing 01f of the thumb nut 36 allows the resilient washer to yieldingly hold the various parts in position on the standard |5, and yetpermits certain of the devices to be moved individually without disturbing the remaining devices.

While I have discussed my clamping unit in its application to a surface gage, it will be understood that such treatment is illustrative and not limiting, and that my snug may be used upon andother precision instruments.

Similarly, while I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of .my invention,.

I recognize that the construction and relationship of parts may be modified in many minor respects to adapt the device to the particular application in which it is to be used. All such changes are to be regarded aswithin the purview of my invention if within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is:

1. A clamping device adapted for use on a tool, "such as a surface gage having a standard as an 'integral'partthereof, said clamping device comprising a clamping bolt provided with a body -portion having a hole therethrough and a threaded portion, a thumb screw on the threaded portion, and a plurality of pairs of gripping elements rotatably mounted on said bolt and. slidable by the thumb screw axially along said bolt into engagement with each other, onepair of suchgripping elements firmly gripping a standard insertedthrough said hole in the bolt and the other pair of said gripping elements simultaneously gripping a scriber or otherinstrumentality inserted therebetween and wherein one of the pair of gripping'elements which grips the scriber or other instrumentality has a pair ofci'rcular holes therethrough and the cooperating gripping element of saidpair has a pair of diametrically opposite semi-circular grooves therein which register with said pair of holes.

' 2; The-structure of claim 1 in which one of the pair of gripping elements which grips the'scriber or other instrumentality has a longitudinal keyway and the cooperating gripping element ofsaid pair is slidable on the other and has a longitudi nal key to be received in said keyway and lock the parts against independent relative rotation on'saidbolt. K

3. A clamping device comprising a clamping bolt provided with a body portion and a threaded portion and with a passage extending through and transversely of the body portion, a member mounted at one end of said bolt and having a plurality of passages extending therethrough and 'adapted 'to receive various rods, a second mem: ber rotatably and slidably mounted on the first member and coacting with said first member to clamp the various tools in position,'a third member rotatably and slidably mounted on the'first member and provided withtransversely arranged grooves in operative relation to the transverse passage in the body portion, a fourth member rotatably and slidably mounted on the body portion and having transversely arranged grooves in one end thereof in operative relation to the transverse passage in the body portion and to the transverse grooves in the third member, and a "thumb nut mounted on the threaded portion of said bolt and 'acting'to move the various'mernbers axially ther'ealong into a compact mass.

4:: The. structure "of claim 3 wherein the first member has a longitudinal keyway and the second member has a longitudinal key fitting said keyway to lock said two members againstindependent relative rotation on said'b'ol'tp.

- 5. A clamping device comprising a clamping bolt having a body portion and a head of greater diameter than the body portion and having a transversely arranged passage extending. through the body portion, a member slidably mounted on the body portion and provided at one end with a recess in which ,the head of theclampingbolt is housed, said member having a plurality of tool receiving passages extending diametrically therethrough, a second member slidably mounted on said first member and cooperating with the said member to hold a tool inserted through any of said passages in adjusted position, means on said pair of members for preventing rotary movement of the members with respect to each other, a third member mounted on and rotatable with respect to said second member, a fourth member mounted for rotary movement on the body portion of said bolt, said third and fourth members being provided with cooperating grippin means to hold the clamping device on the standard of a tool, such as a surface gage inserted through the passage in said bolt, and said first and second members being rotatable as a unit relative to the third and fourth members as a unit, whereby the tool carried by the first and second members may be adjusted relatively 20 to the standard passing between the third and fourth members and through the passage in the body portion of the clamping bolt.

6. The structure of claim 5, and a thumb nut threaded on the clamping bolt for sliding the several members axially along the bolt.

JAMES E. HASTINGS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 369,971 Stillman Sept. 13, 1887 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 212,800 Germany Aug. 11, 1909 

